Participating in Politics

Back in the days of Samuel the prophet, the people of God asked for a king. They wanted to be like all the nations. Samuel brought this before the Lord, and He said,

“Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. ⁸ As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. ⁹ Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”1 Samuel 8:7-9

The people of Israel had the Law of Moses and a form of self government before they had kings. God was their only king, and that made them unique. But they wanted a man like themselves to be their king. And God gave them what they wanted. But it came with a warning:

“This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. ¹² Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. ¹⁵ He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶ Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle^[c] and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” 1Samuel 8:11-18

In America, we have had a system of self-government and a Constitution. More and more, Americans are discarding the Constitution and demanding a strong executive who will go around the Congress, the representatives of the people.

If Christians do not participate in our form of self-government, they will lose it. That seems to be Ok with many believers who think it's beneath them. It is unworthy of their attention. It is worldly and unspiritual. It is nasty and unpleasant.

It is not going to get any better if we stay out of it. If we decide that it is just too risky, we are like that servant who buried what God gave him instead of using it. He played it safe and did nothing. But it wasn't safe. He answered to his Lord for it and lost everything.

We have a city election coming up, followed  by local and national elections this year. You are needed to weigh in. Choose sides. Volunteer. Ignore this at your peril.